Firefly Glen now i lay me down to sleep

There was still some time left before she had to leave the Wilderness. Ying returned to the Glen and told @Riluo about her plans for an evening hunt. She walked away from her companion and sounded a call for @Arcturus, wondering if he was close enough to hear. Birdsong rang loudly from the canopy, taunting her with their melodies.

No pressure! I just love him.

it was not every day arcturus heard birdsong, nor a call in the wilderness for him.

he paused, studying the strained notes as they faded into the empyrean sky. he could not place the voice, not immediately -- but as he drew closer to where the song had originated, he caught scent of ying in the woodland.

she was near; he threw back his head in an answering howl, tracking her through the ragged snow.

Arcturus's response was prompt. She knew that there wasn't much time before he arrived, but Ying would use it as best as she could. After listening for the call's duration, she bounded over to a nearby collection of bushes and scrambled into the foliage, hoping that she would not be seen. Rather, Arc might have heard small giggles, were the birdsong to quiet..

puzzled to find ying’s tracks in the loam, but no ying, arcturus stilled. for a moment naught stirred in the meadow save for a soft wind, which curled around his dark fur as he looked north and then south in silent consternation.

her scent came to him — insistent and yet, intermittent — like glimpses of harsh sunlight through obscuring shade. arcturus dropped his muzzle to the ragged ground, and began slowly tracking his way towards the bush that hid ying behind its quivering boughs.

Arcturus's approach elicited another set of giggles, these ones much more noticeable than the last. She leapt from her hiding place — Gotcha! — and grinned to further her victory. 

Do you want to hunt with me? Ying asked, This time, I will win. She turned toward the birdsong and lifted a brow, as if to tempt him into her game.

a blur of snow-hued fur -- arcturus spun in surprise as ying emerged, pouncing like a lioness upon him. once his heart-rate slowed down, a grin hugged his lean muzzle. he had not expected her to be so aptly concealed.

"the snow suits you," arcturus remarked after her camouflage, having no ability to hide in the snowpack himself. his brow lifted as ying invited him on a hunt. so soon after her most recent lost? he grinned roguishly, readying up by wave of his tail. "a rematch? only if you're ready to lose again." his tone was light, joking -- he had only been lucky last time, and was sure he would not be so lucky today.

No way! Her prior loss had been caused by stress and frustration. Those two feelings persisted, but in a different manner than before. Now, they could be used as fuel, rather than a weight by which she was being held back. 

Ying continued walking toward the same meeting place as before. Turning to Arcturus, she asked, Same rules? The huntress was hungry, and could have gone for more.

the mountaineer grinned, the expression rare and quick. he realized they were now heading back to their old rendezvous— and he understood her intentions.

same rules, same outcome. arcturus teased lightly. he didn’t genuinely believe that he was the second-coming in terms of hunting ability, but he liked to tease her anyway — more than anything, ying’s reactions amused him. he nodded his head, gaze falling to the she-wolf in anticipation for her lead.

Same rules, same outcome.

The huntress lifted a brow, tempted by his challenge. She made way for the eastern flank of the Glen, assuming that Arcturus would choose a different direction. 

There was a small pond, quickly thawing with the onset of spring. Ying could make out a small flock of geese, each one of suitable size. She released a confident huff and began to lurk.

The first two were crafty; Ying leapt from her hiding place with aims for a large male, but found her jaws snapping on air. In an attempt to recover, she lunged for a smaller goose, and was again disappointed.

The huntress began to sulk back to their meeting place, deciding that she would look for a songbird en-route. She heard the strained calls of another nearby goose, only loud enough to stop her mournful march.

One of the escapees was caught in the low-hanging branches of a nearby tree. It looked weak, which would have explained its inability to break free. Having taken pity on the doomed bird, Ying stood on hindlegs and pulled it down from the trap.

So, she returned to base with only one bird to present.

arcturus should have known better than to goad her so much; he was soon eating his words, and eating no birds.

his hunt fared far less successful than ying's, and now it was his time to return empty-handed. the grouse he had spied in the thicket had seen him and fled by wing; the geese were well out of reach in the pond's center.

there were few scents to suss out otherwise; none of them birds.

he huffed, a guilty smile given in ying's direction as she saw her standing with one goose as her prize. one goose was better than none, wasn't it? "so, guess it's my turn to come back with nothing, huh?"

Ha! Her smile spread from cheek to cheek, exposing yellowed teeth as she teased the less fortunate. It was well-deserved, but Ying was careful not to overdo it; she picked up the goose and placed it between them, silently inviting Arcturus to have his share.

I know I am going to win, and you know how? Ying asked, one paw held beneath her chin in regal fashion, I am the best hunter ever. She did mean it, but not with as much pride as she had painted. Smiling, she winked so that he might know her humor.

as expected, ying was to have her goose and brag about it too. arcturus could not fault her - he had made great show of playfully provoking her only a half-hour's time before, and now was his comeuppance.

ying placed the goose before her, inviting arcturus to his piece. he was hungry, but he would not take only one kill from her -- she was, he assumed, rather far from home -- he at least had caches nearby. "it is yours," arcturus rejoined, winking in response. "the greatest hunter of all should not share with lowly peons."

Lowly pe-ons. Her brow furrowed as she repeated the phrase, frustrated with her inability to understand. She bent down and began to pick the feathers from the goose, looking up at Arcturus to ask, What is that? Despite his denial of her offering, Ying broke a wing from the joint and nudged it in his direction, hoping that he would (at least) appreciate the chew toy.

it hadn't occurred to arcturus, when it very well should have, that ying's grasp of his language was not as solid as a child born into the common tongue. he took in the wing with a nod of thanks, frowning by his own mistake.

"a peon is a servant or.. uh.. someone unworthy. thanks for the wing." were either of these words also not in ying's dictionary? arcturus quickly crammed the wing into his mouth, knowing it was better now to be silent.

You are not a servant. Her eyes had hardened into something unfamiliar, her tone becoming authoritative. A moment later, she quieted her offense and forced a smile, continuing with, You are just a loser.

Servitude and servants, two thoughts which made her uncomfortable. She had known many of the class throughout her childhood, and at one point, had been a slave herself. Ying didn't want to share these thoughts, but needed Arcturus to know that these were not things with which she sat lightly.

She looked down at the goose. Most of the feathers had been plucked off, but the meat remained intact. Are you sure you don't want it? Ying asked. She pawed at it once more, as if to tell him that this was his final chance.

a change came over ying, not unlike a stormfront crawling over a sunny expanse of shore. arcturus mentally flinched, caught unawares by the coldness which had come creeping in her voice.

he made note to make no such joke in the future, and licked his lips in silent apprehension while he waited for those dark clouds to pass. they did, eventually -- by the form of a joke. his expression eased, and his tail thumped. "alright, a loser." arcturus conceded, ready then to press on from what had been an unfortunate change in their easy-going company. he shook his head as ying offered the balded goose once more -- nay, he had his fill, and if he was hungry he could simply return to the 'spear. "it is yours. thanks for the wing."

She shrugged and picked up the bird. I will see you next time, Ying told him. The huntress turned toward the coast, brushing against Arcturus as she went, as if to share a silent goodbye.

"goodbye." arcturus said quietly, his tone concealing reluctance.

strange was the feeling that imbued arcturus, as ying made her leave.

he had always been an independent creature, a wolf borne of autonomy -- but suddenly, he found himself watching her go plaintively, and wishing she had stayed a moment longer.

he bid his farewell fondly, observing as the goose swung back and forth like a pendulum in front of ying as she departed. when she was gone he dragged his nose along the ground and pulled a scent therein, tracking it back to the spear.